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Hotel occupancy, rates, revenue up in 2013

DARON.DEAN@STAUGUSTINE.COM Multiple hotels line Ponce de Leon Boulavard on Tuesday, January 28, 2014. Hotel occupancy rates and revenue numbers are up in the county.

In a sign the St. Augustine area continues to grow as a tourist spot, 2013 saw hotels and motels draw more guests and make more money than in previous years.

Data released from St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors & Conventions Bureau this week showed that occupancy rates and the amount of revenue generated off overnight stays have increased for the last four years.

Richard Goldman, director of conventions bureau, said his report from Smith Travel Research showed county hotel occupancy was up 2.3 percent over 2012. And total revenue from room rentals (not counting incidentals) went up 9 percent. The average daily room rate increased by 6 percent.

“We attribute that to the rising popularity of our destination,” Goldman said.

The report is compiled from surveys from 41 county hotels or motels (about 70 percent of the market) but not bed and breakfasts or vacation rentals.

A strong December made for a fitting end for a positive year. The occupancy rate for the month increased 2.8 percent over December 2012.

One of the reasons was the rising popularity of St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights festival.

Goldman said his agency increased marketing by 20 percent for Nights of Lights. It also expanded its advertising to the Atlanta market, joining Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and Tallahassee.

“There isn’t a single silver bullet that has contributed to the great and growing success the tourism industry in St. Johns County has enjoyed in the last several years,” said Isabelle Rodriguez, interim president of St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, in an email.

Bob O’Neill, general manager at the Hilton St. Augustine Bayfront, said his hotel was definitely part of the upward trend. He said 2013 was the best year the hotel has ever had.

The hotel opened in 2005 and has only gained in popularity.

“We have never had a year that was worse than the previous year,” O’Neill said.

He said early indications are showing that 2014 will only be better.

O’Neill said one the keys has been improvements in the marketing of the city.

“St. Augustine in itself is such a unique destination,” he said. “We’ve always had things going on.”

The city has found itself in a variety of print and online publications in recent months, including National Geographic and USA Today. Hoteliers are capitalizing on the positive exposure.

“We are blessed with incredible history, a signature PGA Tour event, beautiful beachfront and the desire to share our great community with everyone who wants to come visit,” Rodriguez said.

Although not part of the official report, local bed and breakfast owner Cyndi Humphrey said her industry is also thriving.

“We’re seeing a positive increase,” said Humphrey, who owns the Cedar House Inn. “For certain, this last year has been particularly robust. Everybody is certainly going in the right direction.”

In addition to increased tourism in the area and in Florida in general, Humphrey said those in the St. Augustine lodging business got a boost from the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover in September. She said her inn was sold out before tickets even went on sale.

“That was huge for us,” Humphrey said. “From that, I’ve gotten repeat business after repeat business. It just seems that they come here once, they come again.”

Goldman is optimistic that will be the theme for 2014.

“The pundits out there in the travel industry say that they are looking for 5- to 5.5-percent growth in travel this year,” Goldman said. “We’re hoping to keep pace with that.”